


The Leader of the Pack

by G_the_G



Series: Avengers University [13]
Category: Captain America (Movies), Marvel Cinematic Universe, The Avengers (Marvel Movies), Thor (Movies)
Genre: Alternate Universe, Alternate Universe - College/University, Beardy Art Professor Steve Rogers, F/M, Fluff, Grad Student Darcy, Leather Jackets, Motorcycles, Steve Rogers's Motorcycle
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-09-01
Updated: 2017-12-11
Packaged: 2018-12-22 08:17:49
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 2,862
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11963403
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/G_the_G/pseuds/G_the_G
Summary: Steve Rogers on a motorcycle is a danger to himself and others.





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> This was inspired all because of a certain image.....
> 
>  

The light breeze that had steadily gotten stronger pulled at Darcy’s hair as she hurried along the sidewalk. As the humidity seemed to increase by the second, weighing her hair down and coating her skin, she cursed herself for not leaving just twenty minutes earlier. If she hadn’t taken the time to show Ian where Jane “organized” her notes and how to interpret them, she could have already been home and under no threat of getting rained on. 

Muttering to herself, she pulled on the strap of her bag, trying to hitch it higher on her shoulder so it’d bounce less against her hip. But fate hated her and the seaming that had been slightly undone where the strap met the bag gave up the ghost, dropping her belongings and sending pens, scraps of notes, and various other things across the pavement.

“Shit, shit, shit, shit, SHIT!”

She crouched, tossing her hair out of her face so she could try and gather everything before the wind got it or the threatening rain could fall on it. Her frantic motions and mutters distracted her so she didn’t hear the engine of a motorcycle until it stopped next to her. 

“Darcy? You doing okay?”

Her head snapped up, taking in Steve in helmet and leather coat, jeans pulled tight across his thighs as he sat astride his bike. They’d still been texting on and off, the jokes and teasing continuing in the week and a half since Thor’s party. She’d expected it to stop after she went back to class. Reality once again crashing another parade. But instead the jokes and discussion they started in class had merely continued throughout the day and week by message. But seeing him and interacting with him in person was another thing. Flirting in person just had so much more pressure and connotations than harmless text banter. 

Realizing he was still waiting for an answer, she shook her head and went back to grabbing her stuff. “I’m fine. My bag just decided life wasn’t worth living anymore.” She paused to glare up at the sky. “Perfect timing of course.”

“I, uh, I could give you a ride.”

She stilled and looked at him for a second, noticing the earnest look before she shoved the last handful of stuff in her bag, and then stood, clutching it close as she shook her head. “Nah, I’m good. It’s not too far.”

“You sure?”

“It’s only like half a mile.” She squinted up at the sky once more, noting the darker clouds rolling in faster than they had before. “I shouldn’t get  _ too  _ wet.”

“True,” he murmured and then tilted his head with a small smile. “I could get you home before those clouds break, though.”

She looked back at him, looking over his bike as she weighed her options. Accidentally groping his arm was one thing. Riding on the back of his motorcycle was another. That was breaking so many physical boundaries. And while she would probably be soaked through by the time she got home if she walked, that was easily solved by a change of clothes. Changing their dynamic once again wouldn’t.

“You’d get home nice and dry,” he added. 

She focused on his friendly face, no sign of anything but chivalry as he hoped to help out a person in need. Right then a drop fell, landing on her cheek and forcing her to scrunch her face up in surprise before she wiped it off on her shoulder.

“Okay,” she said, stepping forward. “I just have to remember to never tell my father that I rode on a motorcycle without a helmet.”

“Why's that?”

“Because the despite the fact that I'm 26 and an adult, he'd do the whole ‘I'm disappointed and you should have known better. Bikes are dangerous!’ spiel.”

His head had tilted when she’d said how old she was, which she thought was odd but then he laughed at her comment and she forgot all about any question she had. The man’s genuine enjoyment of things always made it hard for her focus on much else in the moment.

”Well, I can't be ruining father-daughter relationships.”

She wasn’t sure what he meant, so she just stepped next to the bike, but hesitated when he moved. Before she realized what was happening, he’d taken off the helmet and reached up to plop it on her her head. 

“Uh, thanks,” she murmured and bit her lip when Steve reached up again, clasping the strap beneath her chin before tightening it in place. She ignored the feel of his fingers accidentally brushing against her skin, focusing instead on his awkwardly flat helmet hair. But even disheveled he still had those dangerous eyes and wicked smile that had her losing her train of thought, long after he’d pulled his hands back and rested them on his thighs.

“Ready?”

Darcy shook herself and nodded, “Yep.” She forced out her breath, trying to keep her next inhale calm and regulated as she took the last step and threw her leg over the bike. Thankfully, she had her bag between them, and held it closer, focusing on squeezing it close. “I’m just over on 500 North, right across from the city library.”

“All right.” He revved the engine and then turned. “If you don’t want to get wet, I’m gonna drive fast.”

“Okay,” she said, unsure what all he was trying to say.

“You might want to hold on.”

“Oh!” She slowly pulled her hands from her bag, but when he began to pull the bike away from the curb, she threw her arms around him. It wasn’t until she was stable, that he fully accelerated, speeding down the road. With a half a squeal, she burrowed closer, feeling his laugh through his chest. 

“You okay?”

“Yes. Just know that if we crash and I die, I reserve every right to haunt you.”

Thankfully, he slowed down to turn onto her road, but the shift in momentum and his pivoting only lead her to realize one of her hands had wound up under his jacket. The heat of his body warmed her skin and she could feel the muscles contracting and shifting under her palm as he maneuvered the bike. But sooner than she had expected they were slowing, coming to a halt in front of her apartment complex.

With a slow breath, she sat up and unwrapped her arms from around him. But try as she might, she could not keep her hand from dragging across his abs, nor did she fail to notice how they bunched with her movement.

“Uh, thanks.” She said as she stepped off, setting her bag down to undo the helmet. But her fingers couldn’t find the clasp and after a few seconds of struggle, he laughed, waving her closer so he could unhook the strap. 

“Not a problem. Always glad to help a damsel in distress.”

She snorted and rolled her eyes.

“I’m just glad I made it in piece, you speed demon,” She teased. Sass was good. Sass helped distract her from how his fingers seemed to slow down and ever so softly brush against her chin before he finally got the helmet off. She let out the breath she hadn’t realized she’d been holding once he finally unhooked the clasp and leaned back to pull the helmet back onto his head. As he fastened it in place, a question she hadn’t considered before popped up.

“Wait, why on earth are you riding a motorcycle on a day it’s gonna rain?”

Steve chuckled as he shook his head.

“I never check the weather report. Much to mine and my friends’ chagrin.”

“Yeah?”

“Let’s just say a few outings that I’ve planned have been rained out to less than stellar reviews.”

Another droplet landed on her face and she looked up at the sky.

“You better get inside. Looks like the downpour is coming.”

Darcy nodded and picked up her bag, holding it close as she began walking up the sidewalk backwards.

“Thanks again. Drive safe!”

He gave her a brief solute and with one last rev of the engine, sped down the road. 

Once he was around the corner, she turned and ran straight up the two flights of stairs to her apartment. When the door was unlocked, she threw herself inside, dropping her bag on the floor as she shut the door with her back and leaned against it.

“Shit.”


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Steve sometimes wonders why he always seems to get the better of himself. Especially when one Darcy Lewis is involved.

 

“Eight, nine, ten,” Steve grunted each count, finally finishing his reps and setting the bar down on the rack with a clank. He sat up in a hurry, grabbing his towel and wiping his face with a sigh. He was an idiot. He shouldn’t have given her ride. All he’d been able to think about for the last two days was her arms wrapped around him, her voice in his ear, her hand under his jacket, squeezing his side and making his muscles twitch.

With a sigh, he tossed his towel aside and lay back down on the bench, grabbing the bar for yet another set. 

“One.”

It was just because he’d seen her bag fall, her stuff spill everywhere, and he wanted to help. There was no ulterior motive. He’d have done that for anyone.

“Two.”

It was just because he always knew how much it sucked to get stuck in a rainstorm. Most of the time it was because of his own idiocy, but it still sucked. If he could save someone else, he would.

“Three.”

It didn’t mean anything. He was just helping a friend. He’d have done the same for Nat, Bucky, or anyone. The fact that he hadn’t told anyone of them about giving her a ride was because it wasn’t a big deal. It was just a quick favor and they were bound overemphasize it. He wasn’t hiding anything.

“Four.” 

He’d only taken his time to convince her to accept his offer because he didn’t want her to think she was inconveniencing him. It was just a favor. He could always use the good karma.

“Five.”

The helmet was just to ease her conscience and help her feel comfortable. The fact that she’d looked adorable in it was a side note. And the clasp on that one was always tricky, so it had been necessary to help her with it.

“Six.”

He really needed to drive fast to get back to her apartment before it started to rain. It had nothing to do with wanting an excuse to have her hold him tighter or that he enjoyed the sound of surprise that she’d let out.

“Seven.”

Her bag between them was a good thing, it helped maintain some distance that really should be there since he was still her professor after all.

“Eight.”

He hadn’t enjoyed the feel of her arms wrapped around him, her legs next to his. It was just a cold day and he was glad for the last of the warmth before he himself got drenched riding back to his apartment.

“Nine.”

The fact that when he had reached home and the cold rain had cooled him down in more than one way wasn’t that big of a deal. He wasn’t a lecher. It had just been too long since he’d been with anyone. It was the dry spell talking. It would pass and he’d feel like an idiot about the whole thing once it did.

“Ten.”

With another grunt, he set the bar back in place and lay there, holding on as he caught his breath. Who was he kidding? He was a creep. If he didn’t know any better, he’d swear the Radiohead song was about him. But it was just a temporary thing. The semester was gonna be over in just under four weeks. He’d get his sanity back and he’d stop worrying about why he couldn’t seem to stop himself from flirting with one Darcy Lewis. Why his friends seemed to think they needed to interfere. Why the whole semester seemed to be timed around different interactions with her. Why the girl who he was telling himself was just a momentary distraction was taking up more thought than anyone had in years.

His phone chirped, and Steve sat up with a groan. He was gonna regret pushing it today. And those extra sets hadn’t seemed to help answer any of his questions. 

But then he saw that he had text from Darcy.

**I got a good one from Jane today. But if you tell her I liked it, you’ll regret it.**

**Do you know what Sin City is?**

Ignoring his better judgment, or lack of it, he answered right away.

_ Las Vegas. _

**What about Den City?**

_ No clue. _

**Mass over volume.**

And despite his worries, he forgot all about those earlier questions as he sat there alone in the weight room and laughing.


	3. Chapter 3

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Darcy isn't sure if she's the only still thinking about it, but she doesn't seem to be forgetting it any time soon.

“Julia, Lucy, Lucretia, Ellen-” Darcy grunted and rolled over to the other side of her bed, aggressively squishing her pillow back into a somewhat round shape and continued. “Frances, Caroline, Frances, Ida.”

This was her second time going through the first ladies of the U.S. and if she didn’t fall asleep soon she’d actually have to move onto the presidents. And considering how long she’d been at it, she’d probably wind up going through the vice presidents too. It must have been pretty long past midnight and since she had her one early class in the morning and wasn’t going to have any time to nap in the next few days, she really needed to get what sleep she could at night. But sleep wasn’t coming. Instead of sleep, her thoughts just kept circling around one fact.

She really should have just walked home.

It wasn’t that far. She could have made it just fine. Sure, she’d have been a bit wet and cold, but nothing a hot shower and a change of clothes couldn’t fix. But then Steve had shown up. And that face had been all stupid smile, his voice all stupid teasing and cajoling, and his attitude all stupid charm. And stupid her just had to give in.

“Edith, stupid, Helen, stupid, Ellen, stupid, Edith.”

But no matter how hard she tried to focus on relaxing and turning off her brain, the memory just kept kept filtering back. And instead of sleeping, she was mentally recounting how his pants pulled across his legs and hips, how that leather jacket fit just right as it stretched across his shoulders that were even wider up close, how his dark helmet just emphasized his eyes and how they crinkled when he smiled up at her.

“Florence, Grace, Lou,” she growled.

It was just the surprise. That was the only reason it seemed to be making an impression. It had nothing to do with how her stomach had dropped when she felt the rumble of his laugh from where her cheek rested on his back and where her arms were wrapped around his ribs. Nothing to do with the smell of his leather jacket and cologne, mixing something piney with earthtones that seemed to have infiltrated her senses.

“Eleanor, Bess.”

There was definitely no way her hand still could feel the lingering warmth from where it had wound up under his jacket, soaking up the heat from the shifting muscles it rested on. It was impossible for her still feel the the soft brushes of his fingers under her chin when he was fixing the strap of that stupid, stupid helmet she’d stubbornly made a big deal out of.

“Mamie.”

With a drawn out groan, Darcy flopped onto her back to stare at the ceiling and the line of light from the streetlights outside that shone through between her curtains. It was pointless. Before she even accepted the ride she’d known. She couldn’t take that stupid box of curiosities and tuck it away until she forgot. Now she knew.

She knew what he smelled like. Knew what it felt like to wrap herself around him. Knew how his laugh began deep in his chest even before you could hear it. Knew how the heat from his body would no doubt sear through her. Knew that this _thing_ with them was never gonna be the same.

Sighing, Darcy rolled over to grab her phone off the nightstand. She’d silenced it and flipped it over nearly an hour and a half before, hoping that by avoiding the artificial light she’d be more likely to sleep. And less likely to internet stalk and feed her obsession. Fat lot of good it had done her, though. But when she pulled it closer, she had a notification. A text had come in since she’d last checked it. From Steve.

_Sorry for the late text, but since I know you’re finishing up your papers, I figured you could enjoy this._

She dropped the phone onto her stomach and hurriedly pulled her pillow out from under her head to cover her face and giggle scream. While she might have to finally admit that she was a goner, she couldn’t help but enjoy the ride. Not when it came with such nerdy fodder.

**Author's Note:**

> Yay! I finally got my brain to cooperate enough to post.


End file.
